Your patio should be more than just an outdoor space—it should feel like a natural extension of your home. At Ted Lare, we take the time to understand your vision and bring it to life with a personalized approach. No cookie-cutter designs, no rushed decisions—just a space that fits your needs and enhances your lifestyle. We have been installing stone patios in the Des Moines area for over 40 years, refining our techniques over the years to provide rock-solid surfaces that last a lifetime.
Imagine stepping onto a patio that feels as if it has always belonged—warm, inviting, and naturally beautiful. That’s the charm of natural stone. Unlike uniform pavers or concrete, each stone is unique, adding character and depth to your outdoor space while standing up to the elements for years to come.
For homeowners across Des Moines and Central Iowa, natural stone patios offer something manufactured materials simply can’t. A timeless appeal backed by real durability. The textures are richer, the colors are natural, and the long-term value far outlasts alternatives that fade, crack, or need replacing. At Ted Lare Design & Build, we’ve spent over 40 years designing and installing hand crafted unique stone patios for homeowners that expect the best.
Again, not all stones perform the same. That’s why choosing the right material matters just as much as the design itself. At Ted Lare, we guide you through every option so your patio matches your style, your home, and Iowa’s demanding climate.
Limestone patios deliver classic light-gray and buff tones, with a variety of textures and finishes that suit both traditional and contemporary homes. We install limestone as natural flagstone for a more organic feel or we use a dimensional cut-stone pattern for clean, modern lines.
Bluestone patios bridge modern and classic design effortlessly. This super-dense stone comes in a striking range of blues, browns, and grays that blend together beautifully in a full-color installation. Bluestone stands up to heavy foot traffic without cracking or shifting, making it an ideal choice for high-use entertaining areas and residential stone patios that need to perform year after year.
For homeowners drawn to a more natural, free-flowing aesthetic, flagstone patios offer organic shapes and irregular edges that blend seamlessly into garden settings. Flagstone works beautifully in rustic layouts where the patio feels like a natural extension of the surrounding landscape. Perfect for winding pathways or tucked-away patio seating areas.
Why wait to transform your backyard? A beautiful, functional patio is within reach, and we’re ready to make it happen. Our team at Ted Lare designs and installs high-quality natural stone patios that elevate your home’s outdoor space.
Get in touch today! Schedule a consultation and start planning your dream patio now.
Des Moines weather doesn’t go easy on outdoor surfaces. Between harsh winters, spring thaws, and summer heat, your patio material needs to handle constant expansion and contraction without cracking or shifting. That’s where durable stone patios outperform the alternatives.
Natural stone, especially properly sourced limestone and bluestone, is inherently frost-resistant. These dense materials absorb minimal moisture, which means less damage when temperatures swing below freezing and back again. But the stone alone isn’t enough. What sits beneath it matters just as much.
At Ted Lare, every stone patio installation starts with a carefully engineered base. We use compacted layers of clean aggregate designed to promote drainage and prevent settling. This preparation is what separates a patio that shifts in two winters from one that holds firm for decades. The result is fewer long-term repairs, less maintenance, and a surface that performs through every Central Iowa season without losing its integrity.
A natural stone patio is the foundation of your entire outdoor living experience. And when you design it with the right team, it becomes the anchor for everything your backyard can be.
At Ted Lare, we design luxury stone patios that integrate seamlessly with fire pits, fireplaces, and built-in seating walls that keep guests comfortable long after the sun goes down. Add an outdoor kitchen and your patio transforms into a fully functional entertaining space, giving you no reason to step back inside.
The design doesn’t stop at the patio’s edge. We connect your space with natural stone pathways and stairways that tie every element together into one cohesive outdoor living environment. This is the advantage of working with a full-service design-build team. Every feature is planned together, installed together, and built to complement your home’s architecture and landscape from day one.
Every lasting patio starts with a process that leaves nothing to chance. At Ted Lare, our natural stone patio installation follows a proven, step-by-step approach refined over four decades of building across Des Moines and Central Iowa.
Before any ground is broken, our team assesses your site’s soil composition, drainage patterns, and grading. We review slope and elevation to ensure water moves away from your home and patio surface. During this phase, we also walk you through stone selection, matching the right material to your design goals and your property’s specific conditions.
Proper base work is what separates a patio that lasts from one that doesn’t. We excavate to the correct depth, build up compacted aggregate layers for stability and drainage, and then place each stone with precision. We check fit, alignment, and levelness at each step to eliminate any flaws that might arise later.
Once every stone is set, we finish the joints, run stability checks across the entire surface, and clean the patio down to a polished, move-in-ready result. Don’t expect to see shortcuts in our work…because there aren’t any!
For over 40 years, Ted Lare has designed and installed natural stone patios across Des Moines and the surrounding communities that make up Central Iowa. We operate in neighborhoods throughout West Des Moines, Waukee, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, and Norwalk. Most importantly, each project is tailored to the homeowner’s property, style, and vision.
That kind of local experience matters. That’s because we understand the soil conditions, drainage challenges, and climate demands that are specific to this region more than other patio contractors. We know which stones hold up best here and how to build bases that stay solid through Iowa’s toughest seasons. Whether it’s a sprawling entertaining space in Urbandale or an intimate courtyard patio in Ankeny, the standard is always top-notch. See for yourself in our project gallery.
Both are solid options, but natural stone patios offer advantages that manufactured pavers can’t match. Stone delivers one-of-a-kind color variation, superior durability, and a premium appearance that doesn’t fade or look dated over time. Pavers serve their purpose, but homeowners looking for a high-end, lasting result consistently choose natural stone.
With proper installation and a well-built base, a natural stone patio can last 25 to 50 years. Dense materials like bluestone and northern-sourced limestone hold up exceptionally well, especially when installed by experienced natural stone patio contractors who understand Iowa’s climate demands.
Absolutely. Frost-resistant stone patios built on a properly compacted and drained base handle Des Moines freeze–thaw cycles without cracking or shifting. The key is pairing the right stone with the right installation, which is exactly what Ted Lare has been doing for over 40 years.
Very little. Natural stone doesn’t require sealing in most cases, and routine care is as simple as occasional sweeping and rinsing. Joints may need attention over time, but compared to poured concrete or manufactured pavers, durable stone patios demand far less upkeep across their lifespan.
Most residential stone patios take one to three weeks, depending on size, design complexity, and site conditions. Ted Lare provides a clear timeline during your consultation so you know exactly what to expect before work begins.
Absolutely. Natural stone patios pair seamlessly with fire pits, seating walls, outdoor kitchens, pathways, and stone stairways. At Ted Lare Design & Build, our design-build approach means every feature is planned and installed as part of one cohesive outdoor stone patio design.
You’ve seen what’s possible, now let’s make it yours. Whether you’re envisioning a sprawling entertaining space or an intimate backyard retreat, Ted Lare has the experience, the craftsmanship, and the materials to bring it to life.
For over 40 years, homeowners across Des Moines and Central Iowa have trusted us to design and build natural stone patios that stand the test of time. Every project starts with a conversation about your space, your style, and how you want to live outdoors.
Ready to get started? Schedule a consultation, and let’s start planning the patio you’ve always wanted.
At Ted Lare Design & Build, our team of outdoor space professionals has extensive experience creating elegant, luxurious, and functional spaces that look great and add a new dimension to your home. We believe that a fully customized paver patio can provide one of your home’s central activity hubs, bring your family closer together, and ultimately become one of the spaces you enjoy the most.
Contact us today to book a consultation and one of our designers will visit your home to start creating a fully personalized layout right away. Call us now!
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